Avatar:The Blue Spirit Book 1:Lightning Chapter 1:The Dragon's Dance
by siddiqiau
Summary: Story of an Adult avatar after Korra. Takes place many years after Korra's passing. A serial killer who rides lightning. An Avatar who is haunted by the voices of children. A nonbender whose dreams have been invaded by spirits. An island shrouded in mystery, and death. Heavy emphasis on death.


Book One: Lightning

Chapter One: The Dragon's Dance

Draven

He awoke to the buzzing of the clock, but could not find a reason to get out of bed. _Another day in paradise. Can't believe I'm still here. _He braced his legs for the impact of a new day, and rose solemnly to the occasion. _I need a smoke. Where did I put those matches? _He tried not to let himself spiral into the same old train of thought. _Don't dwell on it. You are who you are. _He found his matches and lit his cigarette. _Cabbage Corp. Why'd I buy from them again? Tastes like dirt. _

There was a knock at the door, and a light shone underneath. A large, dark silhouette appeared directly in front. Another knock. Draven rose from his bed, put out his cigarette, and opened the door. Light. The brightest, whitest kind of light he had ever seen surrounded him and filled the room. He stepped forward out of his bedroom and into a room whose ends and walls he could not see. _Where am I? What is this? Am I dead? _Slowly pacing forward, he turned around and around attempting to find some other doorway, some other piece of visual information to give himself some idea of where- or what, he was actually in.

Twisting and turning, he lost sight of the door to his room. _Am I in a dream? _The light was intense, blindingly so, almost as if all the possible light in the room was pressured, focused directly on his pupils. He could not see anything around him, yet could see his body perfectly fine. _Am I even standing? What am I standing on? Is there even a floor here? _Another turn, a twist. _Where is the exit? By the spirits, what is going on? _

"You called?" A voice called from behind. Draven jerked his head nearly backwards, and there appeared a giant figure, grotesque and contorted, but with no face. There seemed to be something where a head and face would be, but there was only blue, scaly skin.

"What… what are you?" Draven said, his voice shaking with fear.

"Death. I am your Death." The figure said back, even though no sound came from it's large, mutating mass. He heard a noise like a shoe scuffle from behind, and turned to a tall, human looking figure in a black coat, wearing a mask with the face of a blue demon. Another scuffle, and Draven turned to find two more figures, identical to the first with masks the same shade of blue. One of the two took a step towards him.

"S-stay back! What's happening?! I didn't do anything! I can't do anything!" He yelled, begging and pleading for his life from these masked figures. _Please! There is so much I want to do! _Another figure grabbed his shirt from behind. Another covered his mouth. Another stepped in front of him. _They're all around. It's all over… It's all over… _

He awoke to the alarm reminding him of the day's presence. _Another day in paradise. Can't believe I'm still here. Head feels like a crocodile-bears vice. Need a smoke. Where'd I put those matches? _Draven awoke and begun his day. The typical amenities really. Discount EarthCrest toothpaste, the supposed high quality Water-tribe shampoo… _Shines even after you've taken a swim in the saltiest water!_

It was another typical day for Draven. He turned on the tele-mover to his favorite morning show, "Mornings with Mei and Wei jin!" He never really cared for the latter, but Draven had always been… fond of Mei, even though he knew she was with his brother, Chen. _Don't let yourself spiral. _

"Good morning folks of Republic City! We are looking at another beautiful day here, especially needed because… yay! It's time for the Dragon Dance festival! I'm so excited!" Mei cheered.

"We all know you're excited Mei," Wei Jin said, chuckling, "It's because your 'boyfriend' the Avatar, Chen, is coming back ton-" He was interrupted by Mei's shrieks and screams.

"It's been too long! A whole year!" She coughed. "Ahem, sorry. Tonight is the yearly Dragon's Dance festival. The whole city will be celebrating both the Avatar-"

"Chen, you mean" Wei Jin interrupted.

"The AVATAR," Mei responded, "will be arriving around eight in the evening to kick off the festival's events, so please feel free to come early so you can try all the various foods, play the festival's games, and all around have fun!"

"And don't forget to stick around past nine to witness the yearly Dragon's Dance, with a forecast of clear skies and plenty of fireworks to go around, not to mention that our very own Mei of Channel 10 is going to be performing alongside the Avatar himself in their reunion demonstration, well I for once can say I am looking forward to it."

"Here's hoping I don't end up flying off of Li'Li's back," Mei said, giggling.

"All in all folks, it's looking to be another great festival, and so from the family at Channel 10, we all hope you can make it, and have a good time regardless. Now, onto the major headlines. Trouble in Ba Sing Se last night as the non-bending rebel group calling themselves "The Fixed" stir up an angry mob to protest the new bending alignment patches the citizens of Ba Sing Se are being forced to wear." Wei Jin explained. "More on that later."

"Another body has been found in the so called 'Utopia' of a city that is Dianli, the corporate city that had proudly considered itself the safest city in the world. The victim, another executive from EnCom, was found in extremely disturbing circumstances matching the MO of the other recent victims in the city." Mei described. _Another, really? _

"The same MO, really?" Wei Jin asked. "So soon?"

"The very same. Now viewers, before I explain, I once again have to state that the following descriptions are quite graphic. Viewer discretion is advised." After a brief pause, Mei continued. "Viewers, we were just told yesterday night by the investigating officers that this victim has been identified as Exa Lin, the executive officer of shipping and receiving for EnCom. Her body, as the investigators have described, follow the same brutal happenings surrounding two other executives from other corporations who were murdered in similar ways just a few weeks ago. The investigators have now concluded that these murders were premeditated and carried out by someone of extreme precision and capability."

"I'm not sure what you're saying, Mei. Can you give the viewers a little more insight?"

"I can. We have it on good authority that a serial killer has been targeting corporate executives in a methodical fashion. The authorities released a statement that I will read out for the viewers." Mei coughed and ruffled her papers, continuing, "By the words Chief Sho of Dianli. 'Citizens, we here at the DPD have reason to believe that there is a serial killer targeting high level corporate business-men in and out of the city of Dianli. We are unaware of any specific motive as to why an individual would target these people, and we as of yet have no leads. The MO has been the same for the last three victims, and as we had recently discovered, two other victims in other parts of the world. The first being the owner of a construction company in the Southern Earth States, and the latter being a chief technology officer for a research company based in the Western Fire Nation. The victims were all older men or women with both status and wealth, all married, some with children, some without, but all in a position of great power. They were all caught alone, outdoors, in a manner I find still hard to describe.'" Mei choked. _How bad could it be? What happened? Blood boiled? Rock crushing? _Draven enjoyed contemplating the destructiveness of bending sometimes. _Don't spiral. Focus. _

Mei continued, breathing before. "'The victims, may they rest with the spirits, were all found outside, with their faces… what remained of them… turned to the sky. The bodies were all burnt to a charred crisp, shriveled and contorted, as if the victims were in extreme pain before death. At first we had believed that these… events, were just freak accidents. What the victims bodies went through pre-mortem was similar to the effects of a high-voltage thunderstorm, where the victims were presumed to have died via lightning strike. Once however the DPD noticed the trend in executives dying in a similar way, we realized that these murders were planned."

The bright red, almost flame singed beauty of a woman continued reading the police chief's statement, even though her voice shaked with something a person might have considered to be fear. "We have no suspects as of yet. No leads, no possible witnesses. We do not know this individual or individuals' motives, or if there is any relation between victims. No more questions at this time." Draven shuddered at the thought. _Death by lightning. _He understood Mei's fear, and his breath trembled ever so slightly.

After his usual day's work at the RCPD's records office, Draven found himself grinning as he was on his way to the Dragon's Dance festival. _How could I have forgotten today was the day? It's been so long since Chen's been around. Finally, finally, he's back to shake up this rotten, tepid city. _It had been a whole year since Chen had left to finish his Avatar training with the stone shapers of New Omashu, and Draven had been looking forward to his return since the day he left. He always felt whole when his brother was around. Even though Draven was the oldest of the two, it always felt like Chen was the older brother, and he was the younger, more fragile one. _Just the way it is, _he thought. _Don't let yourself spiral. Focus on the good. _The night was approaching, and he was famished to the point where every step felt like a momentous task. While walking towards the pier near the island with Avatar Aang's statue, he took a long look into the various stalls and shops along the way. "Flameo Hotman's Flaming Noodles" and "Egg-whites and cabbage stir-fry" and "Dragon's Breath Hotcakes" and a bunch more his wallet couldn't afford.

It was nearing the time the Avatar was supposed to make his appearance. As Draven walked down the pier filled to the brim with lights and people, he stopped to admire a familiar graffitti depiction of his favorite flower: the pink lily. _Strange. I didn't see this on my way to work this morning. _The pink lily was a flower his mother used to plant on their island, back when they lived in an idyllic peace, unconcerned to the plights of the people of the world. Far away, back when all he could smell was the sea breeze, and all the delights known to man could be found within walking distance. _Don't spiral. _

He hadn't stopped looking at the lily graffiti until he saw another, smaller drawing on a nearby building, near the roof. He walked towards it, belly full with cheap noodles and dumplings, knowing exactly what he was going into. He smirked.

"You certainly took your time." Draven said, slowly unbuttoning his jacket and tossing it lightly to the floor.

"You know me Ray, I like a dramatic entrance." A figure said, lightly landing on the ground behind him.

"It was a nice touch with the lily." Draven chuckled. "Last year it was what, a baby dragon? You always know how to catch my attention."

"What can I say? I'm a man of artistic integrity. I like my work like I like my news: surprising, yet understandable."

Draven chuckled, and then burst out into a hearty laugh.

"No bending?" he said.

"No bending." the figure behind him agreed.

Chen

Avatar Chen sat on the rooftops overlooking the crowded pier. _Buncha suckers for coming to this thing anyway, _he thought. _Just a big excuse for the masses to celebrate a bunch of nothing, and spend way too much money on things nobody needs. _He couldn't get over the rather dumb reason for this entire event: his return from New Omashu. _Just a bunch of dumb rocks. _He kicked a pebble off the roof, and it nearly hit a passerby in the head. He chuckled. _Nobody should know, and those who do won't say anything. I'm here to rest and to relax. Rest, and relax. Inhale, exhale. _A drop of blood came off his chin and dropped onto his white dress shirt. _Shit. Mei won't like that._

_Ray certainly hasn't lost his touch, even if he has gained a few pounds. _It was good to see his brother again. He had missed his strength- his solid and silent fortitude, so much. He knew his older brother's shortcomings but disregarded them anyway. Chen felt safe when Ray was around. Protected from the unending and unpredictable obstacles in his own life, and from his own shortcomings as well. There was no judgement when Ray was around, just full support and attention. _I can always count on him. Wonder what he'll have to say when I explain to him what happened… _

It was almost time for the Avatar to make his entrance. He could hear his love speaking through the sound system from center stage over the pier, yelling thanks for all those who attended tonight. He wanted to drown himself in her, but he knew she had her own obligations, to her job, to her dream, to her people: Republic City. He knew he would find her own time with her soon, just not yet. _Gotta play the part. Show my face, take some pictures, wow the crowd. Typical Avatar business. _

There was nearly a kilometer between Chen and where Avatar Chen needed to be. _Can't let them know I'm here yet, gotta play it sneaky. _Footsteps lighter than a feather, he glided over the rooftops in a silent fluidity. Dancing between the gaps between the buildings, he breathed in the fresh sea air. _I've missed the scent. _Having dwelled in the caverns beneath New Omashu for almost a year, he wasn't used to the scent of the sea, only to the dankness of the mushrooms and the scent of unrefined earth.

_But if there's anything I've missed the most, it's been the space. The openness of the sky, spirits, the sky! All those stars… _He was making good time now, nearly there. The crowd was gathering, ready to receive the Avatar. People of every nation gathered for their hero- _Me. Not that I asked for it. _They all needed a beacon of hope, even though the world hasn't seen a global conflict that required the Avatar's attention in many, many years. _They just need, no… want to be reminded that I exist. That the Avatar is there in case. In case. My life, my entire existence is just an afterthought. My whole life it's been that way. Inhale, exhale. _

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement near the top of the pro-bending arena. _What? What is that? _Chen stopped and rubbed his eyes. _I don't understand what I'm seeing. Is that a person? _It looked to be… some kind of a face in the darkness of the night. _A floating face. _He rubbed his eyes again. _A white, floating face. Spirits, when was the last time I got some good sleep? _

The pale face seemed fixed, looking at something in the distance, near the base of the pier. He noticed the face didn't have a totally black outline- it was actually a dark blue. The face bounced and moved in a fixed radius, as if it was searching for its own kind in the masses below. He rubbed his eyes again, and when his eyes refocused on where the face was, it was suddenly gone. _The stone shapers did say I might see things when I returned to the surface world. Guess they weren't totally crazy. I mean, I'm the crazy one here. Clearly. Clearly crazy. Inhale, exhale. _

It was nearly time for the Avatar to make his grand entrance. Chen slowly moved to the building closest to the water in preparation. _It's time. Time to put on your face. _

Draven

His ribs hurt. His jaw hurt. His gait was altered, a hit to the lower right leg. _Walking with a gimp now, huh. Clearly the Avatar's brother will impress. _Sitting near the water on the dock farthest from the main activity, Draven slowly stood up. _Well, I guess it's time to find a nice place to watch the Dance from behind the stage. _Somewhere quiet so he could contemplate what will happen next in his boring life. _Chen's back. He's finally back, and he'll shake this boring feeling I've had for so long. _

He wrestled through crowds and anxious Avatar fangirls and street vendors for what seemed like kilometers. _So many people. The worst part of the festival, by far, is the people. _By the time he had made it to the backstage access entrance, he saw Chen rise from the water in a torrent, flowing and surrounding him as it held him up to the awestruck crowd.

"AIR!" Chen bellowed, criss-crossing the skies with blades of air, blowing some of the crowds foods and other items around and into those who hadn't already noticed him.

"WATER!" He yelled, blowing up pillars of torrenting, frothing water, splashing those closest to the bay and covering them with sea water. Yelling and screaming, the whole crowd had surely noticed the Avatar now. _You sure do love making a grand entrance, Chen. _

"EARTH!" and the ground shook with his voice. But he paused. "Uh, could someone please toss me some rocks, or something?" The crowd exploded with laughter.

"FIRE!" and from his hands poured forth a dragon made of fire, that flew around him and into the sky, exploding in a spectacular display of colors.

"Hello citizens of Republic City!" Chen yelled atop his torrent of water, "I am so happy to be back in this wonderful city again! It has been too long! And how about those R. C. Ravens! Best Airball team this side of the Earth States!" The crowd moved and boomed with his every word. _They really do eat this up, man. You know how to play them better than any flute in an orchestra. _"Now now everyone, I know we are all here to see the light show with the ever beautiful Mei at my side, but please you guys. I haven't seen my fiance, my wife to be, in over a year. So please, take the next few minutes to enjoy yourselves and grab some food, and the Dragon's Dance will start soon! Thank you all, and please, have a great night!"

As his water torrent disintegrated, he fell near to the Channel 10 stage. _Don't spiral. Focus. Don't let the crowd overwhelm you. Focus. _Draven slowly maneuvered himself to the side of the crowd gathering at the foot of the stage. He approached the bouncer guarding the entrance to the backstage. _Not the same guy again. Please let him recognize me. _

"Hey, excuse me sir? Yes, I'm with the Avatar. I have a backstage pass." Draven said, meekly.

"Uh, who're you again? No, we're not letting anybody back there without a pass." The bouncer said.

"Yeah, I, uh… Have a pass. Here."

"No we're not taking any solicitors now. Go away." The bouncer swatted the pass without even a glance.

"No, I'm with the Avatar. C'mon man, don't you remember me from last year? We did the same th-" The bouncer pushed him away with a bulky arm.

"I TOLD you, we're not looking for any of your trinkets. Get away from here, now, or else I will force you away." He stood shoulder to shoulder with Draven, looking him in the eyes with extreme distaste.

"And I'm telling YOU-" Draven began, but was interrupted by an approaching figure behind the bouncer.

"He can come through. Please, please. Come with me, young one. Let him be, big man. He is one of the Avatar's most honored guests." The figure was an older woman, dressed head to toe in green silk, wearing a gold necklace with a small red gem in the middle, clearly more expensive than Draven's entire apartment, wholesale. _Who is this woman? _He followed her behind the stage, where the crowd was less audible, and the stars in the night sky more visible. _Finally, some… well, some quiet. _

"You're probably wondering who I am. Well, I have yet to introduce myself to you, or the Avatar. I am Bhuvana, one of the Six Seals. I am here to assess and hopefully finish the Avatar's training. After me, there will be no other, and he will have mastered the elements, and his connection to the spirit world." She said, slowly but steadily. The woman had an air of confidence about her, as if her age wouldn't betray her in a pinch.

"I can see you feel you are in the shadow of your younger brother. I understand you are not a bender, yes?" He saw two dragons each with a rider on them launch off a nearby pad, and into the night sky. _How did she know? _He lowered his head.

"You've done your research. Most don't even know I'm his brother." He responded. He hoped she didn't know the truth behind that as well.

"I can understand what would make you feel the way you do." She turned from the direction of the bay, lit with dragons blowing fire, fireworks, and both Chen and Mei firebending forms the likes of which no amateur firebender could accomplish. Draven kept staring at the spectacular display over the water. He could spot her hair flowing in the wind from a hundred kilometers away, even though she wasn't that far. _Don't spiral. This woman doesn't know you. Focus. You're here for your brother. _

"Never forget," The woman said as she put her hands on his face, "we all have a purpose in life. That purpose might not reveal itself to us as easily as the Avatar recognized his duty, but it exists for every man and woman, to be understood at some point or another." She had a calming tone in her voice. He felt like even though he didn't know her, or her him, that she had some advice he needed- a message, or even a purpose like she said, something to give him the spark that he had sorely been missing.

"What… is my purpose?" He asked, shaking, waiting for her answer. The clouds began to shroud Chen and Mei, dancing between streams of fire and dragons.

"I do not know. I am sorry. But I believe that like all instances of all things, we are meeting here for a reason. Whether minor or major, there is a reason I found you at the entrance, just as you found me, vouching for your association."

"Who… are you?"

"Just an old woman," she said, chuckling. "An old woman, with old dreams. A dying flame."

He heard the sound of thunder clapping in the distance. The sky was darker now, somehow, and in a moments notice it began to rain.

"I had a feeling he'd be here tonight. And now we know the reason for our meeting." She said, turning back to the view of the dragons, dancing, and the rain, pouring.

"Who's here? What?" The thunder crackled louder and louder, like it was just arriving from a long journey, weary and exhausted, but determined to explode.

"Listen child. There is a man. I do not remember his face, or his name. But I know who he is. He is the incarnation of revenge. And I have sinned." She turned her face upwards to the gathering storm clouds, with the rain dripping across her face, making her makeup run with black tears. "I have made mistakes. Many, many mistakes. Some the likes of which if anyone had known, I would have been put to death many years ago. But that did not happen then, so it will happen now. I came here today to tell the Avatar of this man, but it seems he will arrive before I have the chance." There was a quiet desperation in her voice, as if she didn't want to step forward because she knew what was ahead, but had to.

"I need you to know one thing. Your younger brother, he is twenty-four years of age. Avatar Korra passed thirty-two years ago. Do you understand? The nature and time of her death has not been released to the masses, and I worry that I am one of the dying few to know exactly what has happened, and am in the situation to relay this information to the current Avatar."

"What are you saying?" Draven was beginning to understand, but he didn't want to accept what the woman was telling him. The lightning was striking closer and closer to the pier, and so Chen and Mei were likely coming down from the dance because of the hazardous conditions.

"You understand. It is written on your face. You need to relay this to the Avatar. Tell him, he needs to rediscover what happened on Dragon's Roost Island. Tell him these words that I have told you. Dragon's Roost. And thi-" she said, raising a hand to her head, when a flash of bright white light struck Draven's vision.

And all went from white, to black.

"Ray. Ray! Wake up, Ray!" A voice in the distance kept ringing into his ears.

"Death. I… am YOUR DEATH." The voice rung in his head, but he heard nothing. A tower rose in his mind, taller than any skyscraper he had seen, with windows blacker than the blackest night. Lightning struck at every instance near his feet- _My feet? What? _He was standing on the side of the tower… _No, the floor of the tower? No… What is happening? _The rain flowed down the windows, backwards even though he was standing upright, straight, perpendicular to the building. _How am I standing? _

A figure rose from the black windows, like it was rising up from water. A tall, black hooded figure with a mask of blue and white, with the face of a demon. He pulled from his back a large double edged black sword, with a white lotus on it's hilt. The figure gripped the sword with both hands, assumed an offensive stance, and charged at Draven. He screamed.

"What?! Huh?!" he jerked upwards from his hospital bed, with the lights of the interior blinding his eyes.

"Ray, Ray, calm down. It's okay, you're okay. Relax, rest. Lay back." Chen and Mei were sitting at the side of his hospital bed, disheveled. _Must have been here a while, _he thought. _I love these two more than anything. _

"What… happened? Where is that woman… Bhu… Bhuvana? Where is she? She was about to tell me something really important!" He said, breathless.

"So it was a woman you were with… Listen Ray. You were struck by lightning. The woman beside you was hit with the worst of it, but it clearly knocked you out... " Chen said, sadly and quietly.

"You know how I feel about this C, it's the same! It's him!" Mei said, as if trying to assert something. Chen turned to her in hushed whispers.

"I heard you, okay? But he's clearly hurt… lets try not to aggravate him too much. We'll look into it later." He said quietly, turning back to Draven.

"She's… dead. Isn't she?" Draven asked.

"Yes. The water benders at the coroner's office say she was… killed. By the lightning. Nobody saw that storm coming, bro."

"The body. Where's the body?!" Draven said, attempting to rise with a loud grunt of pain.

"Relax relax, you need to rest-" Chen tried to say.

"No! She tried to warn me. She said- she said there was a- a- a man..." Draven said, breathless interrupting his younger brother.

"A man?" Chen asked, turning to Mei.

"I need to see the body. I NEED to see the body. Now. Now!" Draven said, rising in his hospital gown, tearing how the IV needles from his arm. He could barely stand properly, his balance was off and his eyes were still not adjusted to the bright flash of light he saw.

"Not now, not now big brother. Look relax, the RCPD has agreed to let me help, so I have some pictures from the autopsy. Here, just… try to relax, okay? Don't let it get to you. Good thing you haven't eaten yet, huh?" He said, with a timid chuckle.

Draven reclined back into his bed with another stiff grunt of pain. His legs didn't feel quite right, but it didn't matter. He snatched the pictures from his brothers hands, wiped his eyes several times, and attempted to focus on the pictures.

The body was black, charred. It was hard to discern where burnt silk met burnt skin. It looked like the flesh had either slid off the bones or plain disintegrated entirely. He had a hard time containing his gag reflex. _Really was a good thing I haven't eaten yet. _He examined the photos in depth one by one, even though they all looked the same. Extremely burnt meat, almost entirely indistinguishable from the ashes of a wood log in a furnace before it collapsed into ash, retaining its form of… something, but a touch away from falling to a pile of dust.

He looked, over and over. _Barely any green. And such a beautiful dress, too. Wait. Where's the necklace?_

"Where's the-" he coughed. "Where's the necklace?" he asked.

"What necklace?" Chen asked, puzzled.

"She was wearing a necklace when I last saw her. It was small and not as extravagant as her dress… but it was gold, and it had a red gem, like a ruby, in the middle of it."

"Mei, they didn't find anything like that on the body, right?" Chen asked, turning to her. She shook her head.

"Listen Ray. I have some things I need to tell you." Draven said.

And he began to speak.


End file.
